2010 Kia Forte EX - Car and Driver
The Rondo and the upcoming Cadenza draw their names from musical terminology—as does parent Hyundai’s Sonata—and now we have the Forte , christened with an Italian word that directs performers to play loudly. Fortunately for Kia, the Forte isn’t so much forte as it is mezzo piano , which means “moderately soft. ” Indeed, at idle, we counted only 39 decibels inside the Kia’s cabin, and that quiet hints at the Forte’s impressive refinement. The base 2. 0-liter four-cylinder—the only engine available in LX and EX trim—is pretty much all a Forte driver needs. 0-liter’s performance essentially paces that of the uplevel SX trim ’s 173-hp, 2. 4-liter four, as well. A five-speed auto is available with the top-level SX’s 2. 4-liter, or with this smaller engine as part of the $600 Fuel Economy package, which also includes lower-rolling-resistance tires, electric power steering, and a lower-draw alternator. The wider-spread ratios of a five-speed could work wonders here, with the added benefit of seeing EPA fuel economy increase from 25 mpg city and 34 highway—we observed only 22—to 27/36. (The 2. 4-liter paired with the same five-speed earns a... Source: www.caranddriver.com
